So Mikkelsen, Sordo, Loeb and Paddon all rotating? Or Paddon out?
Think it's harsh on Paddon if he's binned totally tbh
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So Mikkelsen, Sordo, Loeb and Paddon all rotating? Or Paddon out?
Think it's harsh on Paddon if he's binned totally tbh
Quite a big story, quite silly season!
However, I'm still puzzled about how they will rotate the drivers. Will Loeb set Mikkelsen aside in the tarmac rallies? Who will do Sweden and Finland in the third car which Sordo doesn't like, and Loeb has said he doesn't want to do anymore? Paddon? Huttunen?
I think Loeb's mind may have changed when the RX program was pulled. He's got a lot of spare time and he's, very much, tasted the sweetness of victory again. Full season.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
wow, Hyundai is finally pissed off that they havent won something, took only 5 years.
Mikkelsen will be a lucky boy if he's managed to keep a full season drive next year. Surely he hasn't?
I think Hyundai already said they will enter Neuville-Mikkelsen-Sordo to Monte.Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
You know what, I got carried away - he's in Dakar until too late anyway..Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
Maybe he will do WRX with Hyundai too?
Probably one argument yes, he was/is interested in that series, he wanted to run a private 208...but they were asking too much for the car i believe.
My opinion will be unpopular but imho if that's true both Hyundai and Loeb made a mistake.
E. But I am very bad when I have to predict something, so it should be a good deal. :D
Can you explain that further? I think it's a win-win situation. Loeb gets some WRC drives (which Citroen couldn't offer, nor would Toyota, not to mention M-Sport) and Hyundai gets crucial support in winning the manufacturers title.Quote:
Originally Posted by AL14
Ok, I've read it the article better and before I tought Loeb signed I full year deal. Now I'm understanding that it's not like that and I change my mind on Loeb's side. It's good for him.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
But I still don't know if it is good for Hyundai, imho I would have saved the spots to try to raise a future champion, or to recover Paddon or to bet on some other driver. I actually would have taken Ogier before he signed with Citroen and before he signed with M-Sport back then.
Loeb is good low-term but even if he is a legend and the best of all times he's not as fast as he was in his days.
I think Paddon has been given enough of chances to show what he can do, and Huttunen is their future champion in the making, but not still ready to help them win the manufacturer championship. Also, in Loeb they get a brilliant tarmac driver, something their team is lacking on (in addition to Neuville).Quote:
Originally Posted by AL14
At this moment it's just if's and would's.Quote:
I actually would have taken Ogier before he signed with Citroen and before he signed with M-Sport back then.
He can still win rallies, I think that's enough.Quote:
Loeb is good low-term but even if he is a legend and the best of all times he's not as fast as he was in his days.
I agree, but in my (partial) defence I said it when it was the time as well! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
To me not, since a good winning team doesn't think low-term but mid-long term.Quote:
Originally Posted by AnttiL
To me not, since a good winning team doesn't think low-term but mid-long term.[/QUOTE]
M-Sport werent exactly thinking mid or long term when they signed Ogier and we all know how that story went.
Ogier is completely different case. He is at the peak of his career, the best out there and if you are not too much unlucky he will give you the driver championship title. There is not long term or low term discussion.Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
They`ve been in the championship for 5 seasons now, spent a load of money and are still without any titles- what makes it worse, lost them to a private team with the smallest budget and another big Asian manuf. on their 2. year back. Even if it`s short term, other options are even shorter ( stepping down from the series).
To me itīs absolutely clear Huyndai should write Mikkelsen off. Or give him Huttunen under his wings in a two car WRC2 team 2019.
Then go on with Neuville-Loeb-Paddon. And Sordo for some rallies.
I guess if Loeb beats Neuville on most rounds then we will see if he's past it or not. I don't think they have done this because they feel sorry for him. I wouldn't be surprised at all if he goes for another championship. He's certainly not going to sign up with them to drop a position to let TN past... no way.Quote:
Originally Posted by AL14
Hyundai is not the car for Mikkelsen, he did good in VW , only reasonable move for him is Msport. Hyundai is worst team out of the four (performance wise), only Neuville can drive it well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
He will not go to any championship, he will miss Monte, he has not a full year contract and honestly, even if I think he is the best of all time, he's not at the same level he was 10 years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
Any development on the i20 for 19, that might give Andreas back the good feeling?Quote:
Originally Posted by able1
if not;
Pay him out of his contract, so he can go to be lead at Ford.
Even if he has contracted full seson for Hyundai!
Loeb cannot beat Neuville on most rounds because he will not drive most rounds , Loeb will do 3-4 rounds maxQuote:
Originally Posted by T16
Being overrun by the team/ex F1 engineer has been an issue i understand.Quote:
Originally Posted by CWJ
Colin Clark must be giggling his ass off by the people who mocked him on here the other day with Loeb actually going to Hyundai now it seems.
How are you so sure that his contract is for 3-4 rounds max? I thought they were releasing details tomorrow?>Quote:
Originally Posted by able1
He doesnīt need to beat Neuville. Itīs not that kind of contract. Iīd rather say heīs the one who will help TN get the title if possible. The others in Huyndai didnīt make it.Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
3-4 rounds is an estimate (my estimate) , he has said it so many times that he will not come back full time.Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
Do you really think, if he has a sniff of victory, he will roll over and let Neuville win? I just can't see it happening. I think they have hired him to let him do his thing, which is winning.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
Yeah, I get that, and I appreciate I might be living in hope, but I just think things will have changed in his mind now he's dropping ten (is it ten?) RX rounds... and because of the feeling he got when he won again. I guess we'll see tomorrow.Quote:
Originally Posted by able1
So i can imagine it will go something like this at hyundai this year. Paddon huttenen in wrc2 pro keep paddon match fit and step him back up to full wrc program 2020. Neuville full season. Loeb in for mikkelson on tarmac rounds leaving loeb neuville sordo. Thats a strong tarmac lineup. And sordo/loeb to alternate some gravel events ones sordo isnt so strong on. And possibly sweden
Loeb is capable of winning straight away. You all could argue here but he showed in a pretty much unpredictable car even for him. He will not only help Neuville or the manu title, but he will help in development and make that car fast on tarmac and gravel too. He is no just average person but he have many years of experience on that level. What profit he could also have is WRX. He could help develop cars there too and be more competitive since PSA is nothing but a cheapstake. Mikkelsen, OK I don't know what is with him or with his car. But if he will continue like that he will be out of the team but then will be #roadtowrc really hard to achieve again. I don't know but everytime that driver needs to show what they can achieve they could do amazing things but when they re signed for a long term they fall back.
I'm okay with his. Subaru had veterans like Vatanen, Alen, Kankkunen and even Makinen to support the team's main drivers. And Loeb's proven he can still win, let alone bring the points and attention. The biggest surprise is that I think he's properly outside the PSA realm for the first time.
That makes Jean Ragnotti the rally Highlander, where there can be only one (manufacturer).
It's clear to me that Loeb is going there 100% to help them win the Manu's title. They want that really badly after all the money they've invested over the years. If Loeb beats Neuville at times, that's just tough.
Great news for Hyundai and the WRC; 2019 will be a heck of a season!Quote:
Originally Posted by er88
Drivers have ups and downs, like everybody; if firing them after a bad season was the norm, probably Ogier would be the only still driving.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
i agree . Tanak had several very poor seasons and look at him now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rally Power
Although he was an unexperienced paying or semi-paying driver in a private operation, not a multiple rally winner and (former) podium contender in a team with the biggest-2. biggest budget fighting for the title. Hyundai offered him 6 rally`s at the end of his DMack WRC season, that should be an indicator between the difference of full-manu vs semi-manu.
Nope, he's always repeated that the reason he stopped rallying full time, is still there, and it's rather unlikely it will ever change.Quote:
Originally Posted by T16
I guess, if for some reason we go down to 8-10 rallies a year, he might be considering a full season comeback. Well, depending on the amount of testing.
He and Elena probably remind themselves of their age. One thing is being able mentally and skill-wise, but being able physically to do all the 14 rounds is another story. Around that time, when Elena posted his "bye-bye" tweet, he also referred to his physical capabilities i believe.
[QUOTE=Myrvold;1202131]Nope, he's always repeated that the reason he stopped rallying full time, is still there, and it's rather unlikely it will ever change.
Has he said this since Peugeot pulled out of RX though? (Im not arguing that he hasnt - I genuinely dont know).. do you?
No, but it's not down to what other things he are able to drive. As I've understood it, it's the whole commitment of a long WRC season, with all the testing, travelling, pre-work etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by T16